A MERRY YULETIDE! (Toy Armoured Cars, Tanks, and Cannon)

As a true Englishman (actually half) I shall be raising a glass of Port to our Saviour on Christmas Day, and raising another glass to family and friends. And subject to the light bulbs still working, I shall be illuminated by a warm glow radiating from 1970s Pifco Christmas tree lights. Kindly cross your fingers.

May I thank the following. To Paul Watson for his generosity in initiating my collection of 54mm traditional lead toy soldiers. To George Mills for his contribution of some very useful Britains and Timpo plastic figures. To Tim at Megablitz for enhancing my collection of Soviet WW2 toy soldiers, and to Mark at ManOfTin for a large donation of Airfix WW2 figures. And finally, thank you Brad, MJT, and Donnie for your very strong blog support. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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                                                                CHARITY SHOP VISIT

 Just visited a local charity shop (Dec.17) and I'm rather chuffed with my purchases. 

This is an Italian-made die-cast cannon, marked GT375. It has a spring in the barrel and it is possible to pull back the cascabel or rear button, but no ability to fire anything. I have since discovered that the GT range was produced in 1970. Underneath is a gap for placing into the barrel a gunpowder cap ....... it's a 1970s cap gun! No need to repaint as the black metal looks rather nice. The cost was £2.50. (Placed next to the gun are some c1900 Spanish officer cadets, converted Britains plastic Guardsmen) 

And here is another gun. This one is totally brass. There is no makers mark or nationality, but several features are common to desk ornaments which have wooden platforms. These were popular in the UK and also the USA. It also explains the peg holes in three locations.  I think this one dates to the mid 20th century? Would welcome more information. The cost was also £2.50.

Having already mentioned to MJT that I really don't need any more buildings....... guess what? Here are two more tin plate buildings. At £1 each it was daft not to buy them! As my plan is to repaint, I didn't spend too much time actually inspecting them. It turns out both have working battery lights inside, which can be switched on from the underneath....... tin lanterns! The buildings are four sided, but with reduced sides, great for backdrop buildings. The lighting is blue, and the scale is 54mm. 

 Chris felt they should have had warm white lights.... that's true.

And a charity shop find a few days before. I'm not sure this really is a Christmas tree decoration, but it seems to work. A European-made 24K gold plated coach and horse (actually 28mm scale) with Swarovski crystals. Cost was £3. They seem to float around for £15 new, and absolutely ridiculous prices in North America!

(I have mentioned my view on this before. Wargaming with miniatures is different to wargaming with toy soldiers. Yes, they practically overlap, but the visual objective is distinct. My 28mm are historical miniatures, while my 54mm are mainly toy soldiers. The former seeks to capture history in miniature, the latter seeks to capture the magic of early wargaming. One of the more obvious distinctions is the use of gloss varnish, or not, another is in the complexity of the rules and occasionally the level of game competitiveness. I think this distinction developed through Games Workshop, compared to those of us brought up on traditional toy shops and Featherstone books?) 

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                                               BRASS/BRONZE DESKTOP CANNON

As a follow-on to the above, I have found quite a few photos of desktop cannon that were fixed to wooden, and occasionally marble, plinths or bases. Some are described as Victorian, most were made during 1900 to 1940. I am now considering a dark wood base for my recent acquisition, but with space for a crew, to utilise in traditional-style wargames. 

Below, Victorian, with the same rings along the barrel.

And another, very similar, still with a chain.

This fine 1920s example is for sale, £1250

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SOME MORE TOYS TO CONTEMPLATE OVER! (Click to enlarge.)

I like to keep photo files (from all angles) of early toys which catch my eye. Often too rare and expensive to buy, it might be possible to reproduce them in plasticard or wood. Hope others find them of similar interest. I cannot believe I'm the only one to see how great these toys would look next to traditional lead toy soldiers.

JAPANESE MADE Armoured Car, 1930s tinplate.

US MADE Tootsie Armoured Car, 1930s die-cast.

ITALIAN MADE Padova PD Armoured Car, 1930s? Tinplate.

FRENCH MADE Quiralu German field kitchen c.1950s

ENGLISH MADE Burnett Ltd, armoured car, 1920s? Tin plate.

GERMAN MADE prewar Gun and Limber, Tin plate.

ENGLISH-MADE Charbens die-cast bus. 1930s.

FRENCH MADE Vebe tin plate armoured car, 1930s.

GERMAN MADE Ernst Plank cannon, lead, 1920s.

ENGLISH MADE Crescent, lead, apparently 1930s.

GERMAN MADE Erzgebirge, wooden, 1930s.

ITALIAN MADE Friction tin plate tank, 1920s?

FRENCH MADE Autajon et Roustand, 1920s.

US MADE Manoil tractor, 1940s. Lead. You just have to smile!

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REPLYING TO COMMENTS FROM FRIENDS

Thanks Donnie, I really was lucky on the cannon and houses, they weren't in the charity shop the day before. I can't help thinking, those collecting traditional toy soldiers are missing out not having the vehicles to go with them. The colours, the magical designs. Best wishes, Sir.

Hello MJT. A friend of mine chose the Japanese armoured car, which is very similar to one I have reproduced with plasticard. I know some will be surprised, I am thinking about reproducing the Burnett armoured car, simple but so archaic. I also like the Ernst Plank cannon, with four wheels. Could use it with my Schleswig and Ruritanian collections. Best wishes!

That is very kind of you, Brad. Thank you. And I can see how many of the original vehicles would fit with 30mm and 40mm figures perfectly, or pretty close. That played a role in my decision to 'try' and reproduce some in plasticard, for my 54mm, and not forgetting the cost of some of them (my Scots blood to the fore). For better times ahead, Brad!

Hello Roger. In my childhood I remember admiring wargames by Grant, Featherstone, and Asquith, where the buildings were reduced in scale to work with the Spencer Smith Miniatures (30mm). But it still looked good! Wargaming is a hobby, collecting historical toys to wargame with, must be considered one level higher, lol. There is also a small following of collectors of antique and ornamental metal artillery pieces..... now I have started my collection, and they look great on my home shelves, and on the wargames table too. That Italian gun I picked up for £2.50 is normally valued at about £10 or more. May I wish you and yours, and our distant Viking cousins in Norway, a Merry Yule!

Graham, thank you for your very kind comment. I set up my blog with the intention of recording how the 54mm collection developed, and any games played. That others have been kind enough to comment, that it has encouraged their own hobbies, has also boosted my resolve to complete more projects. Blogging works! The problem with Facebook is that interesting posts seem to quickly evaporate from sight. I far prefer the 'tag' and search bar on blogs. And I use them all the time on mine, and visiting other peoples blogs. Very best wishes for Christmas and I hope your plans prove worthwhile.

Hello Tim. We all know gamers have preferences for one period over another, but it is obvious to me that there is a clear distinction in the manner collections are being raised, and it is not linked to artistic skills. I can appreciate and enjoy viewing both, but I also recognise this distinction, the objectives are very different. I'm sure there are other sub-categories too, but this is one that even non-wargamers can see, even if they don't appreciate the reasoning. (Yes, I'm prone to systematise, it has always been my main method of better understanding a subject.) I will continue to occasionally show traditional toys that would look good on the wargames table with traditional toy soldiers. Philosophical thoughts aside, may I wish you and your family the best!